


unbroken

by CapnWinghead



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Accidental Voyeurism, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Outsider, War of the Realms (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:09:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25621135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CapnWinghead/pseuds/CapnWinghead
Summary: When Captain America recruits a team to retrieve Thor from the land of frost giants, Peter doesn't hesitate to join. After the battle, he  sees a few things he wasn't supposed to.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/Thor
Comments: 14
Kudos: 105





	unbroken

**Author's Note:**

> So, Tom Taylor's War of the Realms Strikeforce: the Land of Giants issue was a really magnificent story! I loved Steve recruiting the team to bring Thor home and instantly thought up this little coda. 
> 
> Enjoy!

Captain America was a legend.

In all the times they’d crossed paths over the years, even serving on the same team once or twice, Peter Parker had never gotten over that fact. Cap – _Steve_ was just so strong, confident and brave. He never seemed to struggle half as much as Peter did with the job and the loss that came with the suit. Even now, when it appeared to be, for the _thousandth time_ , the _end of the world_ – Steve didn’t seem fazed. As he did all those times before, he persevered, taking on fight after fight. An endless store of power and strength.

In Jotunheim, Steve had been fearless.

Peter fought side by side with Logan, Luke Cage, and Danny Rand. They’d all clawed tooth and nail, tearing through swaths of frost giants so massive that Peter truly felt like a spider dodging their heavy boots. Muscles aching, lungs burning, his eyes and nose watering from the frigid air filtering in through his mask. If he was tired, Steve had to be.

He never showed it.

It felt like ages passed and Steve carried on. Cutting down giants with Jarnbjorn, Thor’s ax. He fought instinctively, aggressively, _tirelessly._ In watching him, Peter found the energy to keep going. The others continued on. Steve inspired them all.

So, when he fell, when his knees sunk into the snow and he didn’t rise, what little hope Peter had started to wither away inside his chest.

Steve kneeled in the snow, his face twisted in a pained grimace. Blood trickled down his face and arms, staining the snow.

A deep voice thundered down the mountain, “On your feet, Captain.”

Thor stood ahead, a weary smile on his face. Suit hanging off of his broad chest in rags, his prosthetic arm missing, but he stood tall. Unbroken.

Turning, Peter watched as Steve’s head shot up. Eyes widening in disbelief, his face softening as his gaze slid over Thor’s appearance. Eyes crinkling in the corners, bright and joyful as a breathless smile crossed his face helplessly. Eyes for none of the others in the snow.

Peter felt a twinge of something strange, feeling as though he'd missed something.

He watched as Steve forced himself to his feet, hiding a grimace as he rested his weight on the handle of the ax. Shifting his weight, a bit, his eyes clenched shut before he straightened finally. No sign he’d ever struggled.

As he approached, Thor spoke, his words quieted. Peter almost didn’t catch them. “You ready?”

Steve nodded once.

Charging forward, they rushed into the fray again.

When it was over, when the last giant had been felled, Luke, Danny and Logan walked the field.

Peter said his goodbye to Buttercup and the Valkyrie’s fallen warrior horses. He looked up in time to see Thor and Steve reunite after battle.

Steve stood off to the side, appearing lost in thought. When the snow crunched beneath Thor’s boots, he straightened, flashing a small smile. Thor’s heavy hand landed on the back of his neck, bringing their heads together. Steve’s eyes softly closed as the tension slowly drained out of his body. His breathing calmed, a hand twisted in Thor’s ragged suit.

A moment of peace for the first time since Steve had put this retrieval team together.

A moment in which Peter felt sure he was violating their privacy by seeing any of it. Thor murmured something quietly, his thumb tracing circles into the nape of Steve’s neck.

“Let’s go home.”

“In a minute,” Steve whispered.

Thor moved in closer, nosing into Steve’s throat.

Peter turned away.

There weren’t many safe places left on Midgard. However, Danny had a few stash houses that hadn’t been touched by the battle yet. They holed up in one of his lofts in Seattle.

Logan rounded up something edible and dinner was eaten mostly in an exhausted silence. Peter could barely lift his fork. Luke and Danny had collapsed on each other, too tired to even bicker for the fun of it. Logan enjoyed silence. Thor was still lost in the war, touching his recently replaced prosthetic from time to time to remind himself it was still there. And Cap – _Steve_ , his head seemed elsewhere, too.

Finally, he turned in early. Rising up from the low coffee table covered in takeout. The loft had enough rooms for each of them to take their own. The others stayed and crammed as much of the food as they could in their mouths before each of them turned in. Peter was left to clean up duty. He thought to save something for Steve in case he got hungry later. He hadn’t eaten much for someone MJ’s size, let alone a super soldier.

When he reached Steve’s door, he found it hadn’t been closed all the way. Peeking inside, the words jammed in his throat.

Thor’s thick, muscular body hovered over Steve’s, his head resting on the soldier’s shoulder as he panted. Fingers tangled and twisted in long blond hair, keeping him there as his arm curled over Steve’s chest, holding him close as he moved. Rising over Steve, his panting breaths coming faster and faster, his face buried in Steve’s throat.

Truth be told, it took an embarrassingly long time for Peter to realize what he was seeing. In truth, it wasn’t until the covers came down that Peter processed it.

Thor softly grunted, his hips snapping forward, drawing a shuddering moan from Steve’s lips. Kiss bitten lips fell open, back arched as Steve took what he was given gratefully, pushing back for more. Face burning, Peter realized he'd never seen Steve so submissive, nor had he ever seen him so at peace. Thor’s muscles tensed, taking control easily as he pushed in with more power, earning a deep groan, Steve’s eyes fluttering closed.

Peter’s stomach rolled. He started to back away, well aware that he should’ve done so several moments ago. As he turned, he caught sight of Thor’s hand, his arm tightening around Steve’s body as his palm spread out over his heart. Steve’s face grew strained, flushed, his eyes bright as he looked to Thor briefly before burying his face in the pillows. Curled over him, Thor pressed a kiss to his shoulder as he pushed in deep. Pressed tight together, no space between them.

It hurt to look at.

Biting down a groan, Thor’s eyes clenched shut as he buried himself inside. They settled on their sides as Thor pressed a line of kisses down the nape of Steve’s neck, his face softening. Eyes falling closed as he whispered something into Steve’s skin, marking it with a kiss. Steve’s eyes opened, lashes wet as he pressed his lips to the inside of Thor’s arm.

A reassurance, a comfort that Thor was still here.

Peter’s chest tightened as he quietly stepped away.  
  
  


* * *

After a restless night, Peter woke up to the first rays of sunlight.

It was strange to think about but, the world continued to spin as if there wasn’t a war tearing apart the nine realms. The universe was strange like that.

Closing his door, he nearly ran into Steve in the hallway. The captain stepped back, offering a sheepish smile as he gestured for Peter to move ahead of him.

Peter nodded nervously, his face starting to burn as though Steve would be able to read minds. As if he’d look inside Peter’s head and see everything he’d seen last night. Clearly, he couldn’t, because if he had, he would’ve busted down Peter’s door and called him a dirty voyeur. Or worse… he could’ve gotten Thor to do it.

As they descended the stairs, Steve said, “I was actually just coming to see you.”

Peter’s face ignited, stomach quelling. “Er, you were?” He was going for innocent but, apparently, his brain translated innocent to squeaky and pre-pubescent.

Steve stopped in the hallway, his eyes a warm blue. He smiled. “I wanted to thank you.”

“Thank me? For what?”

“This was a big ask. With everything going on out there, going into a land of frost giants really wasn’t an easy feat.” A soft dusting of pink across his nose and cheeks before he lowered his head, hiding a smile. “You helped me bring Thor home, Peter. I’ll always be grateful to you for that.”

He stepped back, holding out a hand.

It certainly wasn’t the first time Peter had been offered Captain America’s hand. But this wasn’t Cap saying thank you for a rescue mission well done – it was Steve Rogers saying thank you for bringing home his other half.

Peter shook his hand firmly, nodding once as he stepped back. He offered a salute before jogging down the rest of the stairs to meet the others. They gathered their things and cleaned up the last of the trash. When Peter returned to look for Steve, he found him standing at the top of the stairs with Thor.

Thor cupped Steve’s face, whispering a greeting that drew a fond smile. Thor pressed a kiss to his forehead and then his lips, watching as Steve’s face softened. Draping an arm around Steve’s shoulders, Thor guided him down the stairs.

Outside their doors, the world was ending. But, for at least one more day, Steve’s was still intact. 

**Author's Note:**

> Come visit me on [tumblr!](http://capnwinghead.tumblr.com/)


End file.
